A Metropolitan Police officer, PC Ridhwaan Zina, has been dismissed from the force after engaging in sexual activity with a trainee in circumstances deemed non-consensual, near King’s Cross Station. The incident occurred on the night of August 26, 2022, following an evening out with colleagues.

PC Zina, who was serving as a street-duty tutor, held a position that explicitly prohibited any intimate or sexual relationships with trainees under his guidance. Despite this, after leaving a pub, Zina and the trainee officer, who had consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and was reportedly disoriented, engaged in sexual activity in a secluded street after failing to secure a hotel room.

The trainee officer, distressed by the encounter, reported the incident to her mother shortly afterwards and filed a complaint against PC Zina a few days later, alleging the sex was non-consensual. While no criminal charges were filed against him, the complaint triggered internal misconduct proceedings.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor remarked on the gravity of the breach, noting that PC Zina blatantly disregarded the rules and responsibilities of his position. He was told clearly about the responsibilities arising from that position, and the restrictions on his personal behaviour which it required of him,” Taylor stated. “Having sex with a trainee, even one who is not under his direct authority, was as plain a violation of those orders, and as plain a potential – if not actual – conflict of interest, as can be imagined.”

The misconduct hearing concluded that PC Zina should be immediately dismissed from the Metropolitan Police without notice. His resignation came in early July, following the internal review and public outcry over the incident.

The Metropolitan Police continues to face scrutiny regarding its officers’ conduct and the organization’s handling of internal disciplinary issues. This case further emphasizes the ongoing challenges within the force to maintain professional standards and public trust.